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What I am doing now

You are most likely here because you enjoy crafting. I have been reading up on some of the WoW issues regarding gold making, which make me realize that WoW is not the game for me.

If you want to play a game where gathering and crafting is the cornerstone of the economy, and are not faint of heart, I recommend EVE Online. EVE even has releases purely to support industry. You can play for free if you are good enough manufacturer or trader.

For a 21 day free trial, click here (Disclaimer: I do get a bonus if you become a paid subscriber)

09 March 2011

The difference a single competitor makes

There was on Caelestrasz a glyph maker that had a huge influence on the glyph market (and I mean other than me). There have been times that I was that single dominant glyph maker.

He originally had a 1c undercut, post a wall, post frequently, and post from one toon strategy. However, several competitors entered the market. In response he also put on a 30g ceiling on pricing, in an attempt to discourage competition.

This lasted nearly a week, then he disappeared. I don't know why or where he is gone, but I wish him well.

However with him gone, and having someone else post my glyphs for me - including during the day, I am crafting a lot more glyphs, to the point of occasionally running out. I also note the significant re-entry of other players - including Breevok (who I would like to make a new post soon - maybe on your apprentice series, or even just glyphs).

I know that my competitor had toons on other servers, and probably other tradeskills too, so may be playing elsewhere. Or real life may have interfered. Dominating the glyph market was taking his time - lots of it. Regardless of why, the fact is that dominating the glyph market no longer is worth his time.

What I do know is that dominating a profitable market takes work. I have done it before. The first time I did it I burned out and left the entire glyph market for a month, and defeated my purpose of driving out competition. When I returned to the glyph market, and ever since, I have been careful to play hard, but not play harder than I am prepared to commit.

If you have less time and more demand:

raise prices (reduce demand profitably),

outsource work (make more time),

concentrate on your most profitable items (make more time).

If you have more time and less demand:

lower prices (increase demand ),

do your own work

diversify (find new markets)

On this note, I am currently looking for either a pay per mill scribe, or a scribe willing to sell inks directly. You must have a scribe capable of milling whiptail, and be on Oceanea/Caelestraz - Alliance preferred but not required. If you are interested, whisper/in game mail foofixit, or leave a comment here.

Paying someone gold to craft armour is not a TOU violation. Neither is paying someone gold to mill herbs or turn pigments into ink.

Paying someone gold to farm herbs is a traditional pasttime. Many scribes get herbs via the AH - but by no means all.

Same for ore being either smelted or prospected, or 'green' armour being disenchanted.

What are the relevant Terms of Service?Additional License Limitations.A : use ... automation software (bots)B (c) : ...performing in-game services in exchange for payment outside the Game

All my regular in game business partners do not bot. All payments use in-game currency - normally gold, but sometimes mats (i.e. I keep a 10% cut of mats from disenchanting other players items)

If you buy direct from a player instead of off the AH, you do have an additional burden of ensuring they are not using bots or a hacked account, or risking an account suspension.

In an attempt to be perfectly clear : I will pay in-game gold (or by negotiation - other in-game currency - including services as an in-game healer) to someone who will mill in-game herbs for my in-game toons.

Due to the blog mostly being inactive and the only comments recently being anonymous spam; I have restricted comments to "Registered Users"; hat includes anything google recognises as an account (google, openId, wordpress etc). I am still (mostly) active on foo-eve.blogspot.com

Blogger comments supports basic html. You can make a link 'clicky' by <a href="http://yoursite/yourpage">yoursite/yourpage</a>

Disagreements are welcome - especially on speculative posts. I love a great disagreement.